Gov't Issues Roadmap to Boost Female Labor Force

Working moms in Korea face numerous obstacles on the job that force many to quit, including a lack of childcare services amid a male-dominated business culture. To tackle these and other commonly encountered problems, the government unveiled a comprehensive plan on Tuesday.

Programs to support female workers include increasing subsidies for parents on childcare leave, encouraging companies to offer more flexible working hours, expanding the number of public nurseries, and improving vocational training to make it easier for women to return to their careers.

The government also plans to operate and support a pool of substitute workers that can fill in gaps at companies created by workers going on parental leave.

Korea's female employment rate sits at just 54 percent, much lower than the OECD average of 65 percent. The government has set itself the ambitious goal of raising the overall employment rate to 70 percent.